Southern University at Baton Rouge (SUBR) proposes to re-establish the MBRS-SCORE program on its campus. The overall long-term goal of the proposed program is to enhance and expand the overall biomedical research capability of the university. Goal 1 is designed to increase the research capabilities, competitiveness and scientific productivity of the 6 participating faculty members. The 4-year measurable objectives include: (1) implementation of productive research projects, sustained by technical and personnel support, that includes collaborators, research associates, consultants, and laboratory technicians; (2) triple the number of peer-reviewed publications; (3) triple the number of faculty presentations at national scientific meetings; (4) triple the number of extramural grant applications funded; (5) increase the number of co-authored manuscripts; (6) continuously monitor the success of the program through monthly planning/ progress meetings; (7) improve the success rate of research proposals and manuscripts submitted to 50% and 100%, respectively. Goal 2 is designed to provide the research infrastructure conducive to increased productivity and competitiveness in the biomedical sciences. The measurable objectives include: (1) establishment of a state-of-the-art research imaging core facility designed to facilitate high throughput productivity and educational outreach; (2) establishment of an administrative unit to plan faculty developmental activities. Goal 3 is designed to double the number of faculty members participating in biomedical research. The 4-year measurable objectives include: (1) increasing the number of minority faculty members participating in SCORE-funded projects from 4 to 10, and the number of total faculty members from 6 to 14; (2) increase the number of faculty members conducting biomedically related research by 25%; (3) expand the number of departments participating in MBRS SCORE program from three to five. Goal 4 is designed to strengthen faculty development and the biomedical research training capacity of the university. The 4-year measurable goals include: (1) increase the number of seminars presented by prominent external speakers from 4-6 to 18 per year; (2) institute an annual symposium; (3) increasing the number of grant writing workshops by one per year; (4) increase the biomedical research involvement of students research assistants by 50%. The proposed program project will dramatically strengthen the research infrastructure, capabilities, development, scientific productivity, competitiveness, research training capacity, and excellence of SUBR faculty in the biomedical sciences. This will lead to increased ability to successfully compete for mainstream funding in biomedical research. The improved atmosphere of research and scholarship will create an environment that will encourage students to seek careers in biomedical research, increasing the number of minority scientists in biomedical research. [unreadable] [unreadable]